Frame wall construction



Feb. 21, 1967 J. J. MORELL FRAME WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7, 1965 IN VEN TOR L w m 6 m K J w E H N W W/ R s m w m V... B

United States Pate 3,304,678 FRAME WALL CONSTRUQTEUN Joseph J. Morell, 2387 290th St, Wickliffe, Uhio 44092 Filed Feb. 7, 1963. Ser. No. 256,998 Claims. (Cl. 52-303) comprise an inside dry wall or plaster section, a layer of insulating board spaced by studding from the plaster section and having flat, moisture-sealed surfaces and an outside covering of some form of wood sheathing or other porous material, firmly aflixed contiguously against one surface of the insulating board. In many geographical locations, especially where the seasons change radically, there is uniformly a problem with the blistering of painted outer surfaces on this type of wall construction.

There have been many innovations and expedients proposed for eliminating this paint blistering problem, but none of them has been entirely successful. All sorts of paint primers have been tried but these blister almost as frequently as ordinary paints. The outdoor water emulsion, latex base paints of recent origin blister in many environments even though there is usually no problem in initially covering the outer surface of a wall which has a certain amount of moisture contained therein.

In the repainting of surfaces, the removal of old paint usually has little or no beneficial effect in acquiring sufficiently tenacious adhesion to overcome blistering of the paint. Clean, dry, wood surfaces appear to present as great a problem in the blistering of paint as dirty or moist surfaces.

It has now been discovered that blistering of paint on the outer surface of a wall having the previously described construction is substantially reduced if the insulating board or other substantially moisture-impervious layer of insulating material is provided with uniformly spaced perforations through its thickness. The perforations or holes should preferably not be larger than about /8 inch. Holes having diameters larger than this unduly lessen the insulating properties of the board. The frequency of the holes of this size range should be from about 3 to about 10, and preferably about 4 to 6 in number per each square foot of area, depending on the diameters of the holes. Both surfaces of the insulating layer defining the holes should be moisture-impervious or moisture-sealed to prevent any moisture from being absorbed and condensing within the insulating layer, which, in the case of porous insulating boards and the like, would reduce the insulating properties and promote rotting of the insulating board or contiguous, wooden, structural members. Preferably, in accordance with the present invention, water-impermeable ferrules are inserted in each hole and sealed against the moistureproof faces of the wall board about the openings into both ends of the holes. The holes should have diameters of at least inch because it becomes increasingly more difficult with smaller hole sizes to effect a practical moisture seal about both ends of each hole. In the event that the insulating layer is non-porous or, at least, is incapable of absorbing any significant amount of water, such as aluminum foil in sheet form, special steps or means for moisture-sealing thesurfaces defining the holes through the insulating layer are unnecessary.

While the reasons for the significant reduction in paint blistering by application of the principles of the present invention are not known as fact, the following explanation is given. Presumably, the blistering of paint is due to a moisture build-up in the porous outside, painted sheathing and between the moisture-sealed surface of the insulating board and that sheathing. The moisture inevitably vaporizes with increases of temperature such as occur particularly on outside walls receiving the most direct sunlight. This acts as a pressurized gas which forces itself through the adjacent porous sheathing and against the inner surface of the paint film thereon unless it is relieved in some other manner. The areas of sheathing at which the paint has the least adhesion allow the moisture to expand at the interface between the paint filni and the sheathing, resulting in blistering or swelling of the paint at these areas. The perforations provided in the layer of insulating board in accordance with the present invention relieve the vapor pressure believed to be responsible to a substantial degree for the blistering of the outside paint. The lining of the holes in the insulating board by means of water-impervious ferrules or other water-impervious material prevents the vapor passing through the holes from being absorbed and condensing in the porous insulating material.

The foregoing features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conventional wall construction modified in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the wall construction of FIG. 1, taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the insulating board taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein there is shown a wall structure It) comprising an inside layer or wall section 12, which may be of dry wall or plaster, and an outside layer or wall section 14 comprising regular wood sheathing or the like. A compressed, fibrous, insulating board 16 moisturesealed over both surfaces in any of the well known ways, is situated immediately behind and substantially contiguous with the outer section 14. Separating the insulating board 16 and the outer sheathing section 14 from the inside layer or wall section 12 are studs 18 providing air spaces running substantially vertically the entire height of the wall. Extending transversely through the entire thickness of the insulating board are holes 26 The frequency of the holes in the board 16 averages about five per each square foot of area.

As shown in FIG. 3, ferrules 22, fitted into each hole Ztl, extend entirely through the hole. Each end of the ferrule is secured at the adjacent face of the insulating board by flared and turned-over ends 24 that are abutted tightly against a moisture barrier layer 25 in sealed relationship therewith. The ferrules 22 are composed of a material which is substantially water-impervious and acts to seal, substantially hermetically, the inner surface 23 of the hole 20 in the wall boa-rd 16.

A metal or other substance having sufficient malleability to be spun or otherwise upset to form the joint 242 may be used to form the ferrule 22. Examples of such metals include various alloys of steel, copper, aluminum, and the like. Various thermoplastics may also be used, in which case, the ends of the ferrules may be upset with the aid of heat. Other deformable, moisture-impermeable, ferrule materials may be used if desired.

A composition of the compressed fiber insulating board which may be used advantageously with the present invention comprises compressed bagasse (sugar cane fiber) which has been treated to be resistant to fungi, termites, and water penetration. While moisture-impermeable ferrules are preferably used in protecting the inner surfaces of the insulating board defining the holes, it is within the scope of the present invention to coat the inner surfaces defining the holes 20 with a water or moisture-impermeable material, such as a resin base or asphalt base material frequently used to seal the fiat surfaces of the wall board.

In employing the principles of the present invention, the compressed wall board is preforated with the desired number of holes having a diameter in the range of from about inch to about A; inch, which are coated or otherwise protected on the inside with a Water or moistureimpervious material, as by means of ferrules of the type described. The wall board is then nailed or otherwise affixed to vertical studding comprising part of a frame building. Wood or another form of sheating is then affixed against the fiat surface of the perforated wall board.

It is important that the perforations through the insulating board be fairly substantially uniformly spaced, at least over the areas between the studs. Moreover, the number of these perforations per unit area is important. More than 10 holes per square foot is gene-rally excessive, and only acts to lessen the insulating properties of the board, while less than 3 holes per square foot generally fails to reduce paint blistering to any marked degree.

The resulting construction provides adequate communication between the inner side of the outer sheathing and the vertical spaces defined by the studding so as to relieve any vapor pressure build-up.

From the foregoing description of the invention, numerous equivalents of the particular details disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art and are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A prefabricated insulation board for immediate onsite installation in the construction of a wall and effective to minimize blistering in said wall construction due to moisture condensation and subsequent vaporization, said board comprising a porous slab-shaped heat insulation body of fibrous material having a multiplicity of substantially uniformly spaced-apart perforations extending through the body between opposed major faces of the body, a layer of moisture sealant covering and adhered to said major faces, except for the perforations, moistureimpermeable rigid ferrules pre-positioned within each perforation, said ferrules having outwardly flared ends, each flared end being sealed to a sealant layer on a major face, said ferrule-lined perforations being open at all times readily to conduct moist air through said body While precluding entry of the moist air into said body laterally of said perforations and subsequent condensation of the moisture therein.

2. In a wall construct-ion comprising an inside layer, :a porous outside layer free of fabricated venting aper- Itures, and an insulating board having opposed major :faces disposed substantially against the inner surface of said outside layer, and an air space between said insulating board and said inside layer; the improvements where- .in said insulating board is prefabricated prior to installation in said wall construction and comprises a porous slabshaped heat insulating body having a multiplicity of substantially uniformly spaced-apart, permanently open, venting perforations extending only through the body between opposed major faces thereof and terminating short of said outside layer, a film of a moisture sealant covering said major faces except for the perforations and adhered to such faces, moisture-impermeable ferrules positioned within each perforation, said ferrules having outwardly flared ends, each flared end being secured to a sealant film on one of said major fa e to form a substantially hermetical seal, whereby said ferrule-lined perforations readily conduct moist air through said body while preventing entry of the moist air into said body through walls of said perforations and subsequent condensation of the moisture within the body, and whereby said insulating board reduces blistering on the outer surface of said outside layer even in the absence of venting apertures therein.

3. In a wall construction comprising an inside layer, a porous outside layer free of fabricated venting apertures, and an insulating board having opposed major faces disposed substantially against the inner surface of said outside layer, and an air space between said insulating board and said inside layer; the improvements wherein said insulating board is prefabricated prior to installation in said wall construction and comprises a porous slab-shaped heat insulating body having a multiplicity of substantially uniformly spaced-apart, permanently open venting perforations extending only through the body between opposed major faces thereof and terminating short of said outside layer, a film of a moisture sealant covering said major faces and walls of said perforations and adhered thereto, whereby said perforations readily conduct moist air through said body while preventing entry of the moist air into said body through said major faces and perforations with subsequent condensation of the moisture within the body, and whereby said insulating board reduces blistering on the outer surface of said outside layer even in the absence of venting apertures in said outside layer.

4. A prefabricated insulation board for immediateon-site installation and effective to minimize moisture condensation within a wall structure, said board including a slab-shaped body of fibrous material having a multiplicity of spaced-apart perforations extending through the body between opposite faces thereof, and moisturebarrier sleeves mounted in the perforations and sealed adjacent their ends to said body at said opposite faces thereof, said sleeve-protected perforations being open at all times to conduct moist air entirely through the board without permitting penetration thereof into said body, there being at least 3 perforations per square foot, and said perforations having a diameter within the range from about inch to about /g inch.

5. A prefabricated insulation board for immediate onsite installation and effective to minimize moisture condensation within a wall structiue, said board including a slab-shaped body of fibrous material having a multiplicity of spaced-apart perforations extending through the body between opposite faces thereof, and moisture-barrier sleeves mounted in the perforations and sealed adjacent their ends to said body at said opposite faces thereof, said sleeve-protected perforations being open at all times to conduct moist air entirely through the board without permitting penetration thereof into said body, there being from 3 to 10 perforations per square foot, and'said perforations having a diameter within the range from about inch to about 4; inch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,327,446 1/ 1920 Schumacher 52-446 1,581,038 4/1926 Thompson 161-100 X 1,776,610 9/1930 Andrews 52-621 2,140,689 12/1938 Collins 52-303 2,703,911 3/1955 Griffin 52-303 2,726,977 12/1955 See et al. 52-145 X 2,782,464 2/1957 Joppich 52-303 2,804,657 9/1957 Munters 52-303 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner. Y K. E. PAYNE, R. s'. VERMUT, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A PREFABRICATED INSULATION BOARD FOR IMMEDIATE ONSITE INSTALLATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WALL AND EFFECTIVE TO MINIMIZE BLISTERING IN SAID WALL CONSTRUCTION DUE TO MOISTURE CONDENSATION AND SUBSEQUENT VAPORIZATION, SAID BOARD COMPRISING A PROOUS SLAB-SHAPED HEAT INSULATION BODY OF FIBROUS MATERIAL HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY SPACED-APART PERFORATIONS EXTENDING THROUGH THE BODY BETWEEN OPPOSED MAJOR FACES OF THE BODY, A LAYER OF MOISTURE SEALANT COVERING AND ADHERED TO SAID MAJOR FACES, EXCEPT FOR THE PERFORATIONS, MOISTUREIMPERMEABLE RIGID FERRULES PRE-POSITIONED WITHIN EACH PERFORATION, SAID FERRULES HAVING OUTWARDLY FLARED ENDS, 